kensington unitarians · few years ago an anglican lay reader expressed his envy at the eclectic...
TRANSCRIPT
Kens ington Un i ta r ians
N e w s l e t t e r : A p r i l 2 0 1 6
New sle t te r : December 2014 / January 2015
What’s On...
Sunday 3rd
April, 11am-noon
‘Leftovers’
Led by Jane Blackall
Thursday 7th
April, 7-8pm
‘Heart and Soul’
‘Mandalas – The Healing Wholeness’
with Sarah Tinker
Sunday 10th April, 11am-noon
‘Freedom in Faith’
Led by Rev. Sarah Tinker
Sunday 10th April, 12.30pm
Small-Group Communion
Led by Tristan Jovanović
Sunday 17th April, 11am-noon
‘Celebrating Life’
Led by Rev. Sarah Tinker
Sunday 17th April, 12.30-1.15pm
‘Finding Your Voice’
Singing workshop with Margaret
Sunday 24th April, 11am-noon
‘Simple Gifts’
Led by Carole Grace
and Sarah Tinker
Thursday 28th April, 7.00pm
Management Committee Meeting
Dates for your Diary:
Sunday 1st May, 11am-noon
Service led by Katie McKenna,
Ministry Student and Member of
The Octagon (Norwich Unitarians)
Sunday 22nd
May, 12.45pm
‘The Pleasures & Pains of Ageing’
Workshop with Carolyn and Sarah
Sunday 12th June, 12.30pm:
Essex Church AGM
I n t h i s m o n t h ’ s n e w s l e t t e r …
* ‘Hasta Pronto Jenny’ * ‘Evidences’ – Forthcoming Exhibition featuring Roy’s Photography *
‘Impressions of the LDPA AGM’ by Melody * ‘Report from the Big Sleep Out’ by Sarah Williams
* ‘Supporting Girls’ Wellbeing in Laos’ by Julia Alden * ‘News from India’ by Sonya Leite *
Warden’s Column – including news of summer building works * Worship Training at Rosslyn Hill
* ‘Messages from the Wise Ones’ reflection by Rev. Sarah Tinker * and much more…
100 Most Spiritually
Influential People A Message from our Minister
Do any of you know Watkins Bookshop in Soho? It
describes itself as ‘an esoteric bookshop in the heart
of London. Established over 120 years ago, we are
one of the world's oldest and leading independent
bookshops specialising in new and antiquarian titles in
the Mind, Body, Spirit field. We import books from
around the world including America and India, and our
staff are all experts in the themes in the shop, and you can always ask them for
recommendations and advice’. It’s well worth a visit if you are interested in this
particular field and they also now have a useful website, packed with inspirational
materials. The spring edition of their quarterly magazine included their annual list of
the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People – spiritual teachers, activists, authors
and thinkers that change the world. The list is intended to ‘celebrate the positive
influence of today’s spiritual teachers’.
As I read through their list I found myself smiling happily, noticing how many of these
teachers have been mentioned in courses and worship here at Essex Church. We are so
fortunate in our freedom to use materials from any source. At a Sea of Faith conference a
few years ago an Anglican lay reader expressed his envy at the eclectic nature of
Unitarian worship. For him, it was rare to use poetry in worship or words from a spiritual
tradition other than his own. We have the pick of contemporary as well as ancient
spirituality, sacred texts, literature, academic works, and the like. It’s a great privilege.
But I’d encourage us all to take a next step. When we have so many sources of
spiritual inspiration to choose from, it can become overwhelming. We may be so busy
hopping from idea to idea, and teacher to teacher, that we never stop long enough to
go deeper and do the work that needs to be done if an idea is to become part of us. I’ll
be interested to hear your views about this and about the people listed on this
website. We could make two lists of spiritually influential people, one of the living and
one of the dead. Some people live on through their wisdom. Whose teachings are
having the most profound influence on you at the moment?
Before looking at their list I made a list of my own most spiritually influential living
people and had 24 names in common with Watkins’ assessment. There’s even one
person on the list who I know has a Unitarian Universalist spouse. Now that surely will
get you looking! Here’s the link to their website or get in touch and I’ll print you a copy
of the list. www.watkinsmagazine.com/watkins-spiritual-100-list-2016
Rev. Sarah Tinker
2
Kensington Unitarians At Essex Church (founded 1774), Notting Hill Gate
Kensington Unitarians are a community of kindred souls who
meet each week at Essex Church in Notting Hill Gate to
explore, reflect, converse, be still, share joys and sorrows,
and support one another on life’s journey. We are proud to
be part of a worldwide and historic liberal religious tradition.
Our main activity is Sunday worship and we hold a
service each week at 11am. All are welcome. Services
are usually themed and include readings from a variety
of sources, prayers, music, singing, stillness, and a short
sermon. Our children’s leaders provide an alternative
programme of activities for younger people.
Small-group activities are another key part of our
programme. We offer courses and one-off workshops
exploring spiritual and religious matters and considering
life’s meaning together with others on the spiritual journey.
If you are aware of any member of our community who is
unwell or suffering in some way and who would welcome
contact from others in the church, please contact our minister.
Kensington Unitarians at Essex Church
112 Palace Gardens Terrace
Notting Hill Gate
London W8 4RT
Office Telephone: 020 7221 6514
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.kensington-unitarians.org.uk
Volunteering Rotas: Stewarding, Coffee and Greeting
Stewarding:
3rd
April: Gina Bayley
10th
April: Carole Grace
17th
April: Ted Nist
24th
April: Julia Alden
Coffee:
3rd
April: Roy Clark
10th
April: Juliet Edwards
17th
April: ??? (can you help?)
24th
April: Jonathan Crawford
Greeting:
3rd
April: Melody
10th
April: Liz Tuckwell
17th
April: Gina Bayley
24th
April: Melody
We circulate the rota list each month by email. Please contact
Jane if you are willing to be on the rota mailing list.
Sunday Afternoon Workshop:
‘The Pleasures and Pains of Ageing’
Sunday 22nd May 12.45-2.15pm
Looking around at people you know you witness great
examples of how to live fully your whole life. However, if
you follow the fashion and film industries, as well as the
media on the whole you will see frequent put-downs of the
older generation. It is very hard to resist this negativity.
And indeed the ageing process can bring difficulties. But it
also brings new positive situations and experiences. You
do not need to be old to contemplate the issues of ageing.
After all, ageing is a lifelong process.
Join Carolyn Appleby and Sarah Tinker for an interactive
session on this topic. All adults welcome. No charge.
Make sure you have had some lunch before we begin.
‘The Sufi learns consideration
beginning with his murshid, but this
culminates in consideration for God.
When one arrives at that tenderness
of feeling, every person in the world is
considered. To the Sufi the missing of
an opportunity of considering another
is a great disappointment, for he does
not consider it to be a fault towards a
human being, but to God. Verily, he is
pious who considers human feeling.’
Hazrat Inayat Khan
'If you are willing to look at another
person’s behaviour toward you as a
reflection of the state of their
relationship with themselves rather than
a statement about your value as a
person, then you will, over a period of
time cease to react at all."
Yogi Bhajan
3
‘Heart and Soul’ Midweek Spiritual Gatherings
Thursday 7th April 2016 from 7-8pm
Gathering at 6.45pm downstairs in the library
Followed by social time and refreshments
Come and join us for our monthly alternative spiritual
gathering, with music and silence, words and prayers, and a
chance to explore the evening’s topic in relation to your own
life. This will be followed by refreshments and fellowship.
Our April gathering will be led by Sarah on the theme of
‘Mandalas – The Healing Wholeness’. Carl Jung wrote
“The mandala is an archetypal image whose occurrence is
attested throughout the ages. It signifies the wholeness of
the Self.” Come and join us for a gentle, meditative
evening’s exploration of the healing nature of the circle,
with colouring sheets to take away.
If you would like to know more about our ‘Heart and Soul’
gatherings email [email protected]
Two Dates for
your Diaries
After the service on Sunday 10th April the Blair family invite us
all to join them for a party to celebrate Amber’s birthday on
her and Iona’s visit from South Africa.
In our 17th April service we’ll be joined by a grown up Amber,
husband Stewart, and family from the States, to celebrate a
simple naming and dedication ceremony for Tate.
Hasta Pronto Jenny!
Jenny our warden is heading to northern Spain in April. She’ll
be gone for two and a half months, to a fascinating project in
an old monastery with her dance community. She’ll still be
working for Essex Church part time in an interesting new
development for us – made possible by the Internet. She can
handle our lettings, our invoicing and accounts from a distance
and with Skype, WhatsApp, email and text messaging we’ll
still be working closely together. Her physical presence will be
replaced by her friend Arda who will be living in the warden’s
flat in our basement and working as a volunteer warden for us.
Arda has been stand in for Jenny on many occasions when
she’s taken annual leave so it’s good to have someone here
who knows us and our building well.
Jenny’s absence frees up an exciting opportunity for someone to
take over providing flowers for our Sunday services. Do get in touch
if this appeals to you. It doesn’t have to be every week and you’ll
receive a budget for buying flowers.
Rev. Sarah Tinker
‘We need tenderness. We need to
be cared for and considered. In
order to get that, we probably have
to risk letting ourselves be a bit
less certain, a bit less hardened. It
amazes me how many times I hear
adults talk about how good it feels
to help someone else, how willing
they are to provide a ride or a meal
or a listening ear. Yet these same
people are quick to say, “I don’t want to be a bother”, or “It’s
really hard for me to ask for help”. OK, so if most people
actually enjoy being helpful but few of us dare to ask for help,
then how is anyone going to have the joy of helping? We need
to let go of the illusion of our own absolute independence and
acknowledge our tender places. Treating tenderly includes
treating ourselves tenderly, not demanding perfection in every
moment, not expecting absolute consistency in how we feel,
not pretending that we are beyond hurts or confusions or
sadnesses or doubts.’
Rev. Barbara Threet
4
FOY Conference 2016
‘Grief and Bereavement’
A Supportive Space – Time for Reflection
Challenging Conversations
29th April – 2nd May at the Nightingale Centre,
Great Hucklow, Derbyshire
Bereavement is both intensely personal and a shared, social
experience. We aim to talk about what can happen, what
resources we can draw on, our personal histories, and many
different ways of responding to death. We will explore different
types of grief, whilst learning how bereavement affects people
in many different ways. Speakers will include a representative
from CRUSE, the national charity for bereaved people, as well
as from A.W. Lynn, a family funeral director. During the
weekend there will also be free time for local walks,
worship/meditation, and other activities. The conference begins
on Friday evening and ends with lunch on Monday.
Standard cost for adults is £192. There is a £10 discount for
first-timers, ministers, students and unwaged people.
General conference enquiries should be made to Joan
Partington: 01228 670 565 / [email protected]
Unitarians at
London Pride March A Date for your Diary: Saturday 25th June
Working with district minister Revd Martin Whitell, I am helping
to co-ordinate the Unitarian presence for this year’s London
Pride march. It is one of the largest festivals of LGBT Equality
in Europe and we are keen that the work of the Unitarian
Church in promoting equality is given a good show.
The parade is on Saturday 25th June in central London and
lasts from about 11.30am to 3.30pm. We will meet around
Baker Street (exact location to be confirmed) and the march
ends just off Trafalgar Square.
We are asking that each Congregation find at least two people
who will commit to being there on the day and walking with us.
It is huge fun and the more of us the better.
Ed Fordham
For more info: [email protected] / 07974 950 512
International Association for Religious Freedom
and the World Congress of Faiths present:
‘Peak Experiences
and Peace’
Saturday 16th April, 10am-4pm
Croydon Unitarian Church,
1 Croydon Flyover, CRO 1ER
We honour the 100th Birthday of Wilfred Cantwell Smith
(July 21, 1916 – Feb 7, 2000), director of Harvard's Center
for the Study of World Religions., author of ‘Faith and Belief’.
We Honour Abraham Harold Maslow (April 1, 1908 – June
8, 1970) who poetically observed in ‘Religions, Values and
Peak-Experiences’, "The great lesson from the true mystics
{is that} the sacred is in the ordinary, that it is to be found in
one's daily life, in one's neighbours, friends, and family, in
one's backyard."
The day will include: worship featuring “The Kol Nidre“ by
Andrew Wickens and Elizabeth Hills; a panel on “My Life
Journey – Peaks, Valleys and Peace” including Ashley Hills,
Marcus Braybrooke, Pejman Khojasteh, Arman Mohajeri; a
performance of ‘The Lark Ascending’ by Andrew Wickens and
Elizabeth Hills, honouring Rev. Orlanda Brugnola, IARF
Representative to the UN; and a panel on ‘Three Cardinal
Virtues: Trust, Compassion and Hope’ with Ian Mason, Chris
Hudson, and Richard Boeke. There will be time for circle
group discussion. A vegetarian lunch will be provided.
Please email [email protected] if you are coming.
A five pound donation at the door is requested.
Evidences
An exhibition of recent work by
Roy Clark, Maurizio Cortigiano, James Ryan
25th April - 1
st May 2016
at The Gallery on the Corner
115 Battersea Park Road, London SW8 4BU
I will be holding a Spring exhibition of my recent work at the end of
April. If anybody would like to attend the Private View on Tuesday
26th April please let me know and l will send you an invitation.
Roy Clark
5
Small Group
Communion
10th April, 8th May 2016
at 12.30pm Down in the Church Library
On the second Sunday of each month we hold a
small-group communion, after the main morning
service, downstairs in the library. These services are
led by different members of the congregation. A
team of volunteers take turns in leading the services
so we can experience a variety of different approaches.
The line-up for the next couple of months is as follows:
10th
April – led by Tristan Jovanović
8th
May – leader to be announced
If you would like to find out more then please feel
free to speak to Jane Blackall or Tristan Jovanović.
‘Medicine and Mystic
Consciousness’ A Talk by Dr Rached Daoud
2.00pm on Sunday 24th April 2016
Here at Essex Church
Originally from Lebanon, the British doctor and writer
is known internationally for his new message in
medicine. Dr Daoud has helped countless patients
worldwide and his latest book ‘Doctor Impossible’
takes the reader on the journey of his life, telling how
healing may come in the most unexpected ways, in
the mystery of suffering and its relief; challenging all
to live and love, beyond all expectation.
All welcome. No charge. An event organised by
musician and friend of our congregation Jenny Thorn.
For more information contact:
[email protected] or 07960 057567
Warden’s Column
As the weather gets warmer, I feel very relieved that we managed
to survive the winter with 4 out of 6 gas heaters on the church
thermostat system broken, a new one that has to be turned on
separately and two plug-in radiators. A few weeks ago we thought
we'd finally found the holy grail - of new gas heaters to fit our
existing alcoves - but unfortunately when the installer came to
measure up it turned out that they were actually 50 cm too tall.
Having considered many options (including sacrificing the skirting
board) we're now thinking of taking the plunge and replacing the
heating throughout the whole church with a zone based radiator
system. Previously we'd been reluctant to heat the church space with
radiators because of the greater time needed to get up to
temperature, however this new system would have an intelligent
thermostat. This would mean that rather than switching it on a few
hours before the room was needed, we could program it with each
week's bookings and over time it would learn exactly when to fire up
the boiler in order to get the space to the required temperature. It
should also help that we're planning to replace the current single-
glazed skylights with double glazing this summer. A zone-based
system has the advantage of making it possible to just heat the Hall
(e.g. for yoga) without having to turn up the central heating throughout
the whole building (as now). It would also mean that the boiler could
be relocated from the end of its current long, dark tunnel (see my
winter '15 column for details!) into a locked cupboard in the Hall.
However, because we have concerns that some of the existing
piping may be leaking inside the floors, new pipes will need to be
installed throughout the building and great care will have to be
taken to make this as discreet as possible. This is particularly an
issue in the Church space, where there is no existing piping and
the aesthetics of the room are very important. The current idea is
therefore to block in the alcoves and run a set of 3 12" flat-fronted
radiators along between the skirting and the wall-lights. The pipes
will need to run along the base of the wall - but hopefully it will be
possible to box them in neatly in a way that harmonises with the
existing skirting. The pipes should enter the room through the false
ceiling above the garden door and pass under the staging to get
from one side to the other. There will also need to be two flat-
fronted radiators on the back-wall on either side of the altar in order
to have enough capacity to heat the space.
The only time the building is empty enough for all this work to take
place is August (when we also hope to have our church roof made
waterproof) - but hopefully by the time it starts to get cold again next
Autumn we'll be ready for whatever next winter can throw at us!
Jenny Moy
6
If you have a favourite hymn or song let us know and we’ll use it in a service. If you can hum it, the words and music can be found!
Impressions of the LDPA AGM
This year’s AGM for the London & District Provincial Assembly was held at
the Croydon Unitarian Church in March and I went as our congregation’s
delegate. It’s an interesting building and I enjoyed meeting up with some
people I’d met before at the FUSE weekend. The turnout wasn’t brilliant
and I wonder what would encourage more London District Unitarians to
attend an AGM like this. We had lovely refreshments laid on by the
congregation, especially by Pauline Peet who knows quite a few of us
Kensington Unitarians. Vegetarians were well catered for.
Beryl Payne, long-time lay leader of our Chatham congregation, agreed
to be President for a second year and I was touched by some words she
used in the worship that began the afternoon.
For it is by your being
That we all can know
The depths of being.
It is by your singing
And your silence
That we can know
A unity in togetherness.
The main discussion point was IMPULSE, which is our quarterly LDPA magazine, and whether that should be extended to
include in-depth features. We talked through the pros and cons of email versus hard copies, and colour or black and white
printing. The District Directory of Worship Leaders will be printed soon and will also be available online. We are encouraged to
get involved with our Unitarian presence for the PRIDE march on Saturday June 25th. This photo shows some of our banners.
We’ve hosted a few LDPA events here at Kensington and no doubt they’ll be visiting us again before too long. But in the
meantime we’re all invited to attend the Summer Quarterly and Outing on Saturday 18th June at Hastings Unitar ian Church
and our committee is happy to fund travel costs for anyone who wants to attend.
Melody
7
Report on the ‘Big Sleep Out’
A very big thank you to everyone in the congregation who sponsored me
so generously to do The Big Sleep Out: you helped me raise £550
personally and of the 6 Greenford High School teachers together we
raised over £2,000 and then the students raised more...
It was a strange night. Thankfully it did not rain, I think my enthusiasm
would have wavered at that point. It was mild, but very windy. On arriving
we were all issued with two cardboard boxes and a big plastic bag. You
could do what you liked with the boxes - some groups of friends built little
fortresses and encampments with theirs. We just taped ours together to
make one ‘tube’ each, which became our home for the night.
I am blessed with being able to sleep just about anywhere, and once the
lights went out and we all went to bed at midnight I didn't have any trouble
getting to sleep, but many of my colleagues could not sleep or were kept
awake by the plastic bags rustling in the wind.
What made the biggest impression on me was the lack of a one's own space, and also the ability to do the small things that help
keep one's dignity like being able to clean your teeth or wash. I know that my 'territory' is very important to me: suddenly my
‘home’ was reduced to just a box and everything I had with me had to fit in there too,... I felt very vulnerable. There were toilets
where you could use the basins to clean your teeth but I arrived, slept and left in the same clothes and didn't wash.
I woke at 5.30am, and eased myself out of my box to go to the loo: as I stepped over all the sleeping bodies and listened to the
wind rustling the plastic, I wondered if this is what all the refugee camps / temporary accommodation look like (a distant idea for us
but just down the road from my sister Rose who lives in Berlin). At 6am the lights went on and we were swiftly sent on our way...
no lie-in when you are sleeping on the streets when the city starts to move, even if you want to.
By 7.30am I was back in my own bed in my own home.... greeted by both the most amazing pink sunrise as I emerged from
Hanger Lane station, and the sight of the man who has been sleeping in the station underpass for the past 6 weeks, still there, fast
asleep on his pile of cardboard... homelessness is not easily eradicated.
It was a real learning experience and I'm glad I did it. Thank you all again for your support and good wishes.
Sarah Williams
(Juliet Edwards’ daughter)
‘Spirituality is thus for the hatching of the heart. Whatever helps to open our hearts to the
reality of the sacred is what we should be engaged in. This awareness leads to an image
of the Christian life very different from the one with which I grew up. The Christian life is
not about pleasing God the finger-shaker and judge. It is not about believing now or
being good now for the sake of heaven later. It is about entering a relationship in the
present that begins to change everything now. Spirituality is about this process: the
opening of the heart to God who is already here.’
Marcus J. Borg
8
Supporting Girls’
Wellbeing in Laos
My international life has allowed me to meet extraordinary
people from all over the world, some who do pretty amazing
things. Last year I wrote in our newsletter about my experience
in Cambodia. This year, most recently, I was invited to
participate in rural Laos as an instructor in a Wellness Workshop
for a group of twenty girls between the ages of fourteen and
fifteen. The invitation came from Dianne Gamage, an English
Language teacher in Bangkok whom I had met at an Alliance for
International Educators (AIE) conference last year in Mumbai.
Dianne is also the founder of a small Australian registered
charity, Lotus Educational Fund, which currently facilitates the
school-attendance of eighty-four girls by providing school fees,
textbooks, a backpack and a school uniform. While girls’
education has made impressive gains worldwide over the last
decade, there are still millions that could be but are not in school.
In Southeast Asia, poverty is a primary cause and obstacle.
Keeping girls in school can be a big challenge in Laos and Lotus
in helping to keep them there.
Savannakhet, where we were located, is right across the
Mekong from Thailand. If offers easy access for entrance to a
continual flow of young Laotians wanting to cross the border,
lured by hopes of finding in Thailand a way to generate income
which is usually partially given back to support families. Many
of those migrating are adolescent girls and boys. World Vision
Asia estimates that there are some 200,000 undocumented
Laotian workers in Thailand (many others are documented), a
large portion of these between the ages of 14 and 20. The
overwhelming risk for young Laotian girls is the unwitting
entrapment into the sex trade or of unskilled labour that often
includes abuse and violation of human rights.
In the context of this daunting bigger picture, Diane’s Wellness
Workshop gave us all a tight focus on one of the ground-level
building blocks of empowerment for young women in this region.
The initiative was a true collaboration among volunteers and
organizations. The workshop hosted twenty Laotian girls who
travelled about two hours from their rural village to meet up with
our team of volunteers. The girls attended our week-long
workshops about women’s wellbeing, reproductive health,
contraception, HIV/AIDS, and awareness and avoidance
strategies against the dangers of human trafficking. The
collaborative framework allowed the girls to develop a broad
view of many aspects that could contribute to their wellbeing. A
women’s doctor, a translator, a physical education teacher,
several international teachers (myself included) and members of
World Vision Asia came together to lead sessions for the girls. I
got to use (along with colleague Margot) art to help explore
notions of identity and to build self-confidence. For the first time
the girls drew self-portraits, painting and using creative means of
expression to explore and describe their character traits. The
girls also engaged with volunteer Kate in organized sports and
movement throughout the day.
Through the use of text, on-line video and YouTube applications,
it was also the first time that these girls learned a range of critical
knowledge about their bodies. Our translator, Mee, was kept very
busy! The girls were fascinated by this educational introduction to
understanding their physical selves and the ways they could be
responsible for their health. Our doctor, Denise, ingeniously
designed a bracelet that the girls could make and wear, with
multi-coloured beads to follow the pattern of the monthly
menstruation cycle so they could tell when they were ovulating
and were most likely to get pregnant. A project to produce
washable and reusable sanitary pads was developed during the
week, as lack of such simple hygiene products emerged during
health discussions with the girls as a very real deterrent to their
attending school. Another outcome of our collaboration was a
quick raising of funds via crowdfunding by Sara, a Sustainability
Project Manager for Macquarie University in Australia, to
complete the building of a toilet at school. Imagine what a
difference this kind of practical initiative can make to a girl in a
rural school. To confront the very real dangers that many young
women face from the realms of trafficking for sex trade and other
illicit or abusive work, local members of World Vision offered
training in awareness and possible plans of action should they
find themselves in danger. This part of the workshop focused on
educating the girls about existing laws that protect their rights and
giving them strategies to find help if and when they did migrate
and encounter trouble.
For the duration of the project, we volunteers resided together
with the girls in dormitories at Thasano Station Rice Research
Centre. This was a wonderful venue to share our work. The
research facility is run and managed by Dr. Phoudalay
Lathvilavong. When she is not advising farmers on new rice
growing techniques, she devotes her time to improving social
and economic conditions for the Lao people living in this rural
area. A true model for these young women, she has been
instrumentally involved in the Lotus Educational Fund since its
inception in 2008, working with families and focusing, in
particular, on keeping girls in school. As the week went forward,
and as we worked, lived and learned together, we observed
stronger, more confident girls emerging, becoming young women
who were being empowered to realize they could make choices
in their daily lives and in their futures. This awareness is an
essential step in a culture where women have had so little
negotiating power.
The girls’ growing confidence was even more evident in the
culmination of the week’s activities. We all rode back to the
village to attend a drama performance that the girls presented for
their teachers and their parents, to share what they had learned
during the Wellness Workshop. The learning process had clearly
come full circle, with the girls now having this chance to come
home and teach others about the important new concepts they
had learned. I myself, have come home feeling privileged to
have participated in this project, proud of the girls and of their
energy and resilience, and moved by a compelling sense that
wellness, in mind, body and spirit, was shared by all.
Julia Alden
Lotus Educational Fund Website:
www.lotuseducationalfund.com
9
News from India
Greetings from Rishikesh in the foothills of the Himalayas,
where I am attending teachings with spiritual teacher
Mooji in his ashram. The daily Satsang with Mooji is food
for my soul and that is very holding and what I have come
for; the rest is spiritual practice in action to accept it
all...the horror, the magic, the smells, noise and grace.
Mooji is helping me to let go more and more the
personality, the emotions, the thoughts. I am emptying
and feel the peace and fullness of being.
Then I get in a Rickshaw with all the assault on the
senses and I am tested big time! What a process India is
and it's just a very obvious metaphor of what goes on in
our busy minds.
[Editor’s Note: Mooji is Number 40 on Watkins’ List of
Spiritually Influential People! You can find many of Mooji’s
teachings online for free. A favourite is his telling of the
story of The Rope and the Snake: mooji.tv/freemedia/
master-pointing-series-the-snake-and-the-rope/]
Looking forward to seeing you all soon.
Sonya Leite
One Light Spiritual Gathering
‘Patience’
Friday 12th
June, 6.15-8.30pm, Here at Essex Church
Gatherings offered by Joanna Ryam and Suzanne Cohen. We
are open hearted One Spirit Interfaith Ministers offering
blessings, celebrations, services and spiritual counselling to
people of all faiths and none. Members of the Association of
Interfaith Ministers - trained by the Interfaith Foundation
This event is free. Donations for expenses are welcome.
Any surplus will go to Essex Unitarian Church
For further information contact: Interfaith Reverend Joanna Ryam 07929 836 935
or email [email protected]
Forthcoming One Light Gatherings:
10th July – Presence; 11
th September – Risk
London Playback Theatre
Performs at Clean Break Theatre
Clean Break, 2 Patshull Road, London NW5 2LB
(tube: Kentish Town; train: Kentish Town West)
A series of Thursday Evenings at 7pm
A theatre of your stories on the themes of…
28 April – Who’s leading London…?
26 May – Mental health – them and us?
9 June – Stories of creativity and well-being
Tickets: £10 / Bookings: [email protected]
www.londonplayback.co.uk
The Esterhazy Singers Perform
Monteverdi's Vespers
Monday 25th April, 7-9pm
at City Temple, London EC1A 2DE
Our very own Natasha Drennan sings with the Esterhazy Singers
who are performing another very special concert this month.
Prepare to be transported to seventeenth-century Venice, when
the Esterhazy Singers are joined by the London Youth Choir for
an extraordinary rendition of Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610.
Period instrument ensemble The Little Baroque Company will
add the thrill of occasion with their sackbuts, cornets and other
antique instruments, alongside outstanding young tenor soloists
Hugo Hymas and Robbie Jacobs.
Tickets: £15 full price, £10 balcony
(restricted view), students half price
For more information: www.esterhazysingers.com
the bud
stands for all things,
even for those things that don’t flower,
for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing;
though sometimes it is necessary
to reteach a thing its loveliness,
to put a hand on its brow
of the flower
and retell it in words and in touch
it is lovely
until it flowers again from within...
From 'Saint Francis and the Sow' by Galway Kinnell
‘Messages from
the Wise Ones’
Some thoughts from Rev Sarah Tinker from the
service with Rev. Christopher Corps on 13th
March
I didn’t mean to do it. Honest. But if you look at the front of today’s
order of service it does imply that Chris and I as worship leaders
today are in fact the wise ones delivering our own wise messages.
But in truth we’re merely acting like postal delivery workers with a
van full of parcels.
Because we live at a time in human experience where we have
access to the most wondrously rich and diverse sources of
wisdom. Never before have ordinary people been so freely able to
read and even listen to great teachers, experts on every topic
under the sun, sources of deep inspiration.
Now as some of us know when faced with a banquet table filled to
overflowing with our favourite foods, there is the danger of
indigestion. When we have so many sources of wisdom to choose
from we may end up stuffing ourselves so much that we truly
digest very little of it. You may have heard the story of the wealthy
Buddhist scholar who had visited almost every teacher and now
visited a renowned Zen master
After he made the customary bows, he asked her to teach him
Zen. Then, he began to talk and talk about his extensive
doctrinal background and rambled on and on about the many
sutras he had studied.
The master listened patiently and then began to make tea. When
it was ready, she poured the tea into the scholar's cup until it
began to overflow and run all over the floor. The scholar saw
what was happening and shouted, "Stop, stop! The cup is full;
you can't get any more in."
The master stopped pouring and said: "You are like this cup; you
are full of ideas about Buddha's Way. You come and ask for
teaching, but your cup is full; I can't put anything in. Before I can
teach you, you'll have to empty your cup."
A few years ago we had a service here at Essex Church about the
7th century AD Northumbrian monk the Venerable Bede. You can
probably still find the text and podcast of it through our Kensington
Unitarians website. His monastery was a renowned centre of
learning and had probably the best library in the land at that time –
a collection of 200 books. Well, we have a lot more than 200
books in our library downstairs – you’re all welcome to borrow
anything you find there. And as I look round this room I know there
are quite a few of us with embarrassingly large collections of
books in our homes. We are surrounded by wisdom. But we have
to keep emptying ourselves like that Zen teacup to ensure that
we’re truly nourished by it.
And if our libraries don’t contain what we seek we can click on the
Internet and find just what we’re looking for.
Though that has its issues too. I’ve been helped with today’s
thoughts by a lovely website called ‘Fake Buddha Quotes: I Can’t
Believe It’s Not Buddha’. It’s packed with examples of Buddha
misquotes – hardly surprising as the Buddha like Jesus and the
Prophet Mohamad (peace and blessings be upon him) were
teachers, their teachings were spoken and their words were not
written down in their lifetimes. When they were written down it was
in a language other than our own and at a time very different from
our own. No wonder people sometimes tweak the message to fit in
with today’s needs. There’s a photo of Abraham Lincoln doing the
rounds of the Internet at the moment, with words he’s alleged to
have said in 1864.
"The problem with internet quotes is that you can’t always
depend on their accuracy" - Abraham Lincoln, 1864
That may be true, but he didn’t say it! And the words I used to start
our service came from the Fake Buddha Quotes website, though
they do have some connections with a traditional Buddhist sutra or
teaching.
Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and
rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply
because it is found written in your religious books. Do not
believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers
and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have
been handed down for many generations. But after
observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees
with the light of reason and is conducive to the good and
benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
- Allegedly said by the Buddha
Sutra is often translated as text or teaching but it can also mean a
thread in Sanskrit and that image of threads in a tapestry is one that
works for me when trying to describe the world’s wisdom traditions.
We are fortunate to have access to all these threads that connect us
to great teachers, known and unknown. Yet the tapestry is also
made of ordinary, everyday wisdom, the kind of wisdom that gets
passed from parent to child, friend to friend, neighbour to neighbour
through the generations.
As liberal religious people, as spiritual explorers, we’re probably not
going to stay with just one teacher, or stick to just one path. Our
sources of wisdom will be rich and varied. And like any sensible
explorers we’ll do a risk assessment of the journey. We risk
indigestion, of just being too full to take anything truly in; there’s a
risk of teetering bookshelves of inspirational books falling on our
heads; we risk becoming Internet or workshop or book butterflies
flitting from one source to another yet never really deepening our
understanding by sticking with just one path, at least for a while.
There will be times for some of us when we need to follow one
source of guidance, it’s healthy for us to be lifelong learners and to
sit at the feet of teachers we respect. And from time to time we’ll
have a deep inner sense of our own sources of wisdom, messages
from the wise one within, our own knowing and understanding. And
when we experience one of those moments we’ll be able to laugh
and know that we’ll never need to buy another book nor quote
another famous teacher. Sometimes the messages we’re seeking
from the wise ones have really been within us all this time. We just
have to look inside.
Closing Blessing: Socrates is said to have said that ‘True wisdom
comes to each of us when we realise how little we understand about
life, ourselves and the world around us’. May we in the week ahead
be joyously aware of how little we know, may we rejoice in
accessing our inner founts of wisdom, and may we give thanks for
the wisdom of the ages, all around us and in all those we meet. May
all that true wisdom be ours. Amen, go well and blessed be.
10
‘Finding Our Voice’ Singing Workshops
with Margaret Marshall
Sundays 17th April and 15th May
after the service from 12.30 to 1.15pm
Margaret Marshall has worked as a professional singer all
her adult life and is also a very experienced singing teacher.
She is leading monthly sessions to help us all find our voice.
These workshops are for anyone who is prepared to open
their mouth and make a sound. Margaret will show us how
to improve the quality and strength of our voices. Using a
few simple exercises we’ll gain joy and confidence in our
singing by learning how to produce and develop the voice,
something everyone can do. We’ll work with the breath and
overcome unconscious blocks that can prevent us singing
with our true potential. Fun and achievement are
guaranteed and these sessions are designed for everyone,
whatever your experience or ability. All are welcome.
11
‘Everyday Wisdom’
During our ‘Messages from the Wise Ones’ service we asked
people what everyday wisdom they have learned and here are
some of their replies.
I have learned that:
- I make mistakes and it’s ok
- This is a BIG world
- People are more often kind than otherwise
- Animals teach us how to be without need of words
- There are places for other Gods in our world
- We can learn a lot from cats
- Simple emojis sent by text created connection
- It’s not necessary to cry over spilt milk (at tea and coffee time
after the service!)
- I still have a lot to learn
- We have two ears and one mouth for a reason – so we can listen
twice as much as we talk
- I have learned that I will have a nicer, calmer day if I am on time
New Library Book
God Is Watching You: How the Fear of God Makes Us Human
Thanks to Mike Killingworth we have a new book by
Dominic Johnson to borrow in our church library down
in the basement. According to its publishers, this book
• Proposes a new theory of the origins and
evolution of not only religion, but also human
cooperation and society
• Explores how fear of supernatural punishment
exists within and outside of religious contexts
• Uses an interdisciplinary approach that draws
on new research from anthropology, evolutionary
biology, experimental psychology, and neuroscience
It’s just the kind of topic we Unitarians like to think about
so watch out for a service on this theme before too long
and do borrow it, or any other books, from the library.
There are some great titles down there on the shelves.
‘Shared Pulpit’
Spiritual Development and Worship
Service Training in April and May
Rev Kate Dean, Temporary Minister at Rosslyn Hill Chapel in
Hampstead, will be leading a series of workshops and facilitated
sessions to help Unitarians reflect on their spiritual journey and consider
approaches to taking part in a Sunday service. Weekly sessions will
take place on Monday evenings. In addition, there will be two Sunday
afternoon workshops looking at how to prepare and lead a service.
Shared Pulpit: Six Monday
Evenings from 4th April onwards These sessions aim to help us to explore our personal and
spiritual development by examining our spiritual journeys.
Discoveries could be used as a basis for a sermon or address, but
there is really no obligation to lead a service.
Worship Workshops: Sunday
Afternoons on 17th April and 8th May The first Worship Workshop on 17th April will look at the nuts and bolts
of putting together a Sunday service. In the second on 8th May, we'll
explore alternative forms of worship, including Table Service (set
around a meal), Cafe Connect (discussions/sharing, similar to Death
Cafe), engagement groups and the Chapel's own evening service.
You'll benefit most by attending as many of the sessions as
possible, but you won't be required to attend all the sessions!
For more information and to sign up, please contact Kate:
[email protected] or 07870 322 519
12
Services at Essex Church
Sunday 3rd April, 11am
– ‘Leftovers’
Service led by Jane Blackall
Unitarian Universalist minister Gordon McKeeman says ‘in
making a life, we’re all cooking with leftovers from childhood, even
infancy. The longer we’re at it, the more leftovers there are… You
open the door, and you are faced with the problem, “What can I
make of it?”’ Let’s consider this big question together.
Sunday 10th April, 11am
– ‘Freedom in Faith’
Service led by Rev. Sarah Tinker
The first of three services exploring what we Unitarians bring to
the world. For centuries Unitarians have encouraged people to
explore faith in freedom. But what does that mean in 21st
century Britain.
Sunday 17th April, 11am
– ‘Celebrating Life’
Service led by Rev. Sarah Tinker
Unitarians offer people the opportunity to create unique
ceremonies to mark life’s transitions and encourage people to
become celebrants. Power then is shared, not held by just a few.
Sunday 24th April, 11am
– ‘Simple Gifts’
Service led by Rev. Sarah Tinker and Carole Grace
How shall we find our unique gifts and use them to make the
world a better place. With a collection for Simple Gifts the
Unitarian social action project based in Bethnal Green.
Good Cause Collection of the Month
‘Simple Gifts’ Unitarian Centre for Social Action
Collection on Sunday 24th April
Simple Gifts works in one of the most deprived boroughs in
London and from its small beginnings it has rekindled the
aspirations of the original Mansford Street Unitarian church to
help the local community. We run ESOL English language
classes, a Sewing Club, a lively Afterschool Club for children
and a New Neighbours, Old Neighbours community lunch.
SimpleGifts has been running community programmes from its
premises – generously donated by the Chalice Foundation –
along with providing training at district and national Unitarian
events. Dozens of children, parents, elders, new migrants and
other local residents benefit from the supportive programmes
run each week at the centre. Its future success is entirely
dependent on donations from people like you, which is why
we're asking for your support this spring!
As well as looking for donations, SimpleGifts is also very
keen to recruit volunteers! Programmes run during the day
Monday-Thursday so if you are available there are lots of
different kinds of volunteer roles you could try.
For more information see: www.simplegiftsucsa.org.uk
or contact Ann Howell at [email protected]
Previous Charity Collections:
Thank you for your generosity in contributing to recent charity
collections. I am pleased to let you know that we will be sending
the following donations to good causes:
December – Glass Door (local homeless charity) - £374.93
January – Unitarian Youth Programme - £666.37
‘There have not been many moments in
my life in which I ever imagined the life
that I am living now, and so I am cautious
about predicting what may or may not
happen to me next. The best things in my
life have all been a surprise to me, and I
have learned just to be still and be ready.’
Robert Benson